Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Wailoa River Reflections, 2

Sleepy river

Tranquil as a dream

Life pulses

Beneath

Reflective beams

The name comes from wai ākeain the Hawaiian Language meaning "broad waters", and applied to the estuary now known as Wailoa River. It stretches for miles and ends at Waiākea-Uka (the area on the slopes of Mauna Loa).When William Ellis visited in 1823, Waiākea was the main settlement on Hilo Bay. The Waiākea Mission (now called Haili Church) was the first church in eastern Hawaiʻi island, founded in 1824. Several eruptions of Mauna Loa (the most recent in 1984) have threatened the area. Tsunamis devastated Waiākea-Kai (along the coast), with the largest in 1949 and 1960. A clock found in the rubble set to the exact time when it stopped in 1960 serves as a memorial.(you can see the clock in the first link)The people who survived Hilo's tsunamis built a memorial to their loved ones near the banks of the Wailoa River in a palm-shaded park. There, also, is a black-and-gold statue of King Kamehameha the Great-Wailoa River State Recreation Area (away.com), encompasses 130 acres in downtown Hilo between the city and the Pacific Ocean. The park surrounds the Wailoa River.The park contains memorials for tsunami victims and Vietnam War veterans, as well as a cultural center. Facilities include a boat ramp, picnic tables, restrooms & information center.

Thanks and Welcome CambridgeLady..Wow Regina..that is interesting because the last time you had seem to speak of Summer without a hint of Spring..you said Siberian wind? Well, thanks for letting me know! Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend-

Heaven overreaches you and me, And all earth's gardens and her graves. Look up with me, until we see The day break and the shadows flee. What though to-night wrecks you and me-If so to-morrow saves? Taken from (Leaves of Life)..Signer Crispi